What is the best brand of creatine monohydrate?

BulkSupplements, by our rule: it has a lab test and NSF Certified for Sport, and it costs $0.14 per 5 g. Thorne and Momentous have NSF too, but cost about 3 times as much per 5 g.

Is Optimum Nutrition creatine good?

It's plain micronized monohydrate, and it's tested for banned substances by Informed Choice. We found no public lab test or NSF listing that checks its dose, so it isn't on our list.

Is creatine HCl better than monohydrate?

No study we read shows it works better. A typical HCl serving has far less creatine than 5 g of monohydrate. Our dosage page shows how much of each form you need.

How much creatine monohydrate should I take?

For most adults, 5 g a day, every day. You don't need to load.

Does creatine monohydrate expire?

Very slowly. Monohydrate powder showed no breakdown after more than 3 years in storage tests. Keep it dry.

Is creatine monohydrate safe?

For healthy adults, studies lasting up to 5 years found no harm at normal doses. It can raise creatinine on a blood test without any kidney damage, so tell your doctor you take it. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or are under 18, ask your doctor first.

When should I take creatine monohydrate?

Any time of day, as long as you take it every day. Loading, about 20 g a day split into four 5 g doses for 5 to 7 days, fills your muscles in about a week. Taking 3 to 5 g a day gets you to the same place in about 3 to 4 weeks.

Illustration: two identical white measuring scoops, each filled level with the same fine white powder, side by side on plain taupe paper

What is the best creatine monohydrate?

BulkSupplements creatine monohydrate powder, at about $4.26 a month. We found 30 monohydrate powders on Amazon with proof of their dose, from a lab test or NSF, an independent certifier. Only BulkSupplements has both for the size Amazon sells. Thorne and Momentous cost more than 3 times as much.^{*1, 7, 9}

See all 30, cheapest first.

By Fine Print Nutrition editors · Published October 22, 2026 · 297 NSF listings opened, 30 powders with proof, prices read Oct 19, 2026 · How we check

Best creatine monohydrate

BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder, 1 kg bag

BulkSupplements Creatine Monohydrate Powder

Data table
Lab test	99% of label (SuppCo, June 2025)^*1
Certification	NSF Certified for Sport^*2
Cost	$0.14 per 5 g (about $4.26 a month)^*9

Check price on Amazon

Why this one. Of the 30 monohydrate powders with proof, only BulkSupplements has both a lab test and an NSF listing for the size on sale. Sports Research has both too, but NSF lists a 450 g bag, and Amazon sells 300 g, 500 g and 1 kg bags. It's the same pick and rule as our best creatine overall.^{*6, 13}

Why not NatureBell? It met its label in a lab test (101%) and costs $0.15 per 5 g, a little more than our pick. But it isn't NSF-listed, so only one batch has been checked.^{*1, 7}

Why not Thorne or Momentous? Big review sites name them most often. Both are NSF Certified for Sport, but we found no public lab test of either. Thorne costs $0.47 per 5 g and Momentous $0.48.^{*7, 9}

Women's creatine formulas cost far more per 5 g and none we checked has proof of its dose: see the 11 women's formulas we checked. What we couldn't verify about our pick is on the gummies vs powder page.

30 creatine monohydrate powders on Amazon have proof of their dose

We opened all 297 NSF Certified for Sport listings for creatine and matched every plain monohydrate powder to Amazon, plus the powders with a published lab test. 27 are NSF-listed, and 3 more have a lab test only. Here they are, cheapest per 5 g first.^{*1, 7, 9}

Each dot is one powder with proof of its dose, by cost per 5 g at Amazon prices on Oct 19, 2026. The same proof costs $0.14 to $0.62.

Data table
Powder	Per 5 g	Proof of dose
1. BulkSupplements1 kg · micronized · Our pick	$0.14	Lab test (99%) and NSF^{*1, 7}
2. NatureBell1 kg · micronized	$0.15	Lab test only (101%)^*1
3. Cleanform1.56 lb on Amazon (NSF lists 400 g) · micronized	$0.21	NSF Certified for Sport^*7
4. Nature Made450 g · micronized	$0.21	NSF Certified for Sport^*7
5. Nutricost1 kg · micronized	$0.21	Lab test only (98%)^*1
6. Sports Research1 kg · micronized	$0.21	Lab test (103%) and NSF^{*1, 7}
7. Muscle Milk500 g	$0.22	NSF Certified for Sport^*7
8. MegaFood500 g · micronized	$0.25	NSF Certified for Sport^*7
9. Bucked Up250 g · micronized	$0.35	NSF Certified for Sport^*7
10. Core Med Science450 g · micronized	$0.39	NSF Certified for Sport^*7

The other 20, by cost per 5 g

Dr. Mercola $0.40 · Proven4 $0.40 · Sports Research Creapure $0.41 · CREATURE $0.42 · Jocko Fuel $0.44 · Bare Performance Nutrition Creapure $0.45 · ATHLEAN-X $0.46 · Thorne $0.47 · Momentous $0.48 · XYMOGEN $0.48 · BUBS Naturals Creapure $0.48 · Spoken Nutrition $0.49 · Evogen $0.50 · BLACKLABEL $0.50 · Podium Nutrition $0.50 · Designs for Sport $0.54 · Klean Athlete $0.55 · Gnarly Nutrition Creapure $0.55 · 10X Health $0.58 · The Feed Lab $0.62. All NSF Certified for Sport except Jocko Fuel (lab test only).

Source: NSF Certified for Sport listings and published lab tests, with Amazon prices checked Oct 22, 2026^{*1, 7, 9} · Download CSV · Free to reuse with credit to Fine Print Nutrition

Some popular monohydrate powders have no proof of their dose

30 creatine monohydrate powders on Amazon have proof of their dose
What they have	Brands
Banned-substance testing onlyInformed Sport or Informed Choice	Ascent · Gains in Bulk · Onnit · Optimum Nutrition · Orgain · SteelFit^*8
Lab tests the brand paid forLabdoor certification	Blueprint · Jacked Factory · Legion · Muscle Feast · Power Play Fuel^*3, 4

These may well hold their dose. We just found no independent check of it. Optimum Nutrition has more than 83k reviews on Amazon. Naked says "NSF Certified" on Amazon. It has NSF's contents certification, which checks the label, but it isn't in NSF's Certified for Sport registry, the version our list uses.^*7–9

Is micronized creatine monohydrate better?

It mixes more easily, but it's the same creatine. Micronized powder is ground finer, so it stays suspended in water longer. We searched PubMed and found no study showing your body takes in more of it.^*10, 11

It doesn't cost more, either. 18 of the 30 powders on our list are micronized, including our pick, and their middle price is $0.39 per 5 g against $0.48 for regular. To help any powder dissolve, stir it into something warm. Our gummies vs powder page shows how much a cup of water dissolves.^{*9, 14}

Is Creapure worth 3 to 4 times the price?

Not based on any study we found. Creapure is a brand of creatine monohydrate made in Germany by Alzchem. Its maker says it's pure and traceable, but gives no evidence that it works better, and we found no trial comparing it with other monohydrate.^*11, 12

The 4 Creapure powders on our list, all NSF Certified for Sport, against our pick. Cost per 5 g. If you want a Creapure powder anyway, Bare Performance Nutrition is the cheapest with proof of its dose from a brand licensed to use the Creapure seal, at $0.45 per 5 g. Bare Performance Nutrition is on AlzChem's list of brands licensed to use the Creapure seal; Sports Research, BUBS Naturals, Gnarly Nutrition only say they use Creapure (list checked Oct 22, 2026).

Source: Amazon prices, checked Oct 22, 2026^{*7, 9}

Questions people ask

What is the best brand of creatine monohydrate?: BulkSupplements, by our rule: it has a lab test and NSF Certified for Sport, and it costs $0.14 per 5 g. Thorne and Momentous have NSF too, but cost about 3 times as much per 5 g.^{*1, 7, 9}
Is Optimum Nutrition creatine good?: It's plain micronized monohydrate, and it's tested for banned substances by Informed Choice. We found no public lab test or NSF listing that checks its dose, so it isn't on our list.^*7, 8
Is creatine HCl better than monohydrate?: No study we read shows it works better. A typical HCl serving has far less creatine than 5 g of monohydrate. Our dosage page shows how much of each form you need.^{*11, 15}
How much creatine monohydrate should I take?: For most adults, 5 g a day, every day. You don't need to load.^{*10, 15}
Does creatine monohydrate expire?: Very slowly. Monohydrate powder showed no breakdown after more than 3 years in storage tests. Keep it dry.^*11
Is creatine monohydrate safe?: For healthy adults, studies lasting up to 5 years found no harm at normal doses. It can raise creatinine on a blood test without any kidney damage, so tell your doctor you take it. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or are under 18, ask your doctor first.^*10
When should I take creatine monohydrate?: Any time of day, as long as you take it every day. Loading, about 20 g a day split into four 5 g doses for 5 to 7 days, fills your muscles in about a week. Taking 3 to 5 g a day gets you to the same place in about 3 to 4 weeks.^{*10, 15}

Review log

Prices and stock checked on Amazon October 22, 2026.
October 22, 2026: Published

Notes and sources

Our list: plain, unflavored creatine monohydrate powders sold on Amazon US, Oct 19, 2026. Proof means an NSF Certified for Sport listing for that product or a published independent lab test. One row per brand at its cheapest size, plus Sports Research's Creapure powder as a separate product. Blends, flavored powders, capsules and gummies are left out.^{*1, 7}
NSF lists certain sizes. When an Amazon size isn't on the listing, we used a size that is. Bucked Up's 600 g and 300 g bags aren't listed, so we show its 250 g bag. Sports Research's 1 kg bag isn't listed either, but it also has a lab test. Matches are by brand, name and size; NSF pages show no barcode.^*7
Lab tests: SuppCo bought and tested 5 powders in 2025 and doesn't name its lab. Labdoor results that brands paid for aren't counted. ConsumerLab tested several of these brands in 2026, but its results are for members only.^{*1, 3, 5}
Cost per 5 g = price ÷ number of 5 g doses, using the lab result (capped at 100%) where one exists. Prices change daily.^*9
Creapure: "yes" only where the Amazon listing says so. Other brands may use it without saying.
We'd change our pick after a failed test, a lost NSF listing, or a cheaper product with proof. Next check: January 2027. Illustration (generated image): the hero photo. The product photo comes from Amazon.